Hercules is an enormous Mastiff that was at the SPCA for 3 months. Seriously, he's like seven hundred pounds or something. I walked him just last week and he is HUGE - but what a great dog. He licked me a couple of times and I was clean for a week.

Here is the story of him getting into foster care courtesy of Marie Claude (Dogwalking organizer/board member) and Karine and Vicky are also Amazing volunteers that helped out on the case.

Hello Team!!!!!!!

HERCULES SELPT ON A SOFA LAST NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He left for a foster home!!!!!! And if everything goes according to plan, he will not be coming back!!!!!

Let me tell you the story.

On Sunday, Karine T. and Vicky ran into this lady, Karen, who came to see Hercules and was interested in adopting him. We would later found out that that was her 10th visit with him!!!

Karine did a quick interview and it was obvious that Karen not only knew about Mastiffs (she has had some in the past) but she also knew Hercules by heart, including his little issues with biting and locked-law. Karine felt we had a definite potential adoptive family for Hercules and that feeling was reinforced by Vicky who had seen Karen on a walk with Hercules and had witnessed her handling him very well!!

As Hercules is a special needs dog, his adoption had to be approved by Karine T. or myself. And Karine wanted me to meet Karen. So we made an appointment with Karen and we met her yesterday morning. We spent 2 hours with her, her friend Do, and Hercules. We all went for a walk together and observed Karen handle Hercules assertively, lovingly and ever so calmly. At one point, we gave Hercules a stick: We had to see how Karen handled his locked-jaw. She passed our test with flying colours: He surrendered the stick to her, sat at her feet and lowered his head!!!! Karine and I were floored!!!

Those 2 hours were very emotional for Karine and myself: We knew Karen was the one we had been been hoping for for Hercules. Karen did EVERYTHING right. And it was obvious that she loved Hercules deeply and that Hercules respected her.

Karen knows that Hercules needs to learn “everything”, as she says! And she is willing and able to work with him! So she signed up to foster him, with the intention of adopting him. Fostering will only be the 1st step.

I was wondering how he was doing. Love to hear all the good news. I am also very pleased that the policies over there have changed. Had not the intervention of many 'now' supporters, this dog would have never made it! Good to hear.

Just got another update! and another pic.
This comes from Karen, Hercules's new foster mom

"Just wanted to drop a quick note that all is well with Hercules!! He’s eating, drinking, nuzzling, fitting in fine, I swear he’s gained weight too
He’s a fast learner, yesterday was his first time running loose in the dog park (there were no dogs) and he had a blast, of course he knocked me over running but that’s because I couldn’t gauge which way he was going to go (and I’m not as quick as I used to be). He jumped a couple of times but then stopped, when walking he’s only ‘played’ ‘rough housed’ twice, he waits until you say okay before he takes treats from your hand (ok ok I know it may not work with strangers yet ..but), he sits before he gets his food and/or snacks, sits before the collar goes on. We’re investigating several dog trainers to find a good match. This weekend he will have his first ‘play’ date. He’s super clean in the house by the way, I was not expecting that so I’m very thrilled. Sweet. I have pictures on my phone but they don’t do him justice. Michael loves him and he’s taken a shine to Michael too. All in all, much better than I expected after 2.5 days And of course he’s loving being petted, rubbed, brushed, he even steps into the bathtub for a ‘cool’ down. Very very nice."

What a great Happy-Ending story,Hercules looks great,needs a few pounds though,which I am sure he'll gain in no time at all.
Karen must be a wonderful person,as do the people in the shelter seem to be,they really cared that Hercules would go to the right home
Beautiful big boy